December Marathons - DISCUSSION AND REVIEW THREAD

[Jimmy]

So I'm the guy who mostly watches joyless movies? Thanks a lot. 

No the guy who appreciate independant film who aren't really commercial and ask that the viewer think while he watch

[Rich]

Title: Old School

Runtime:92
Certificate:NR
Year:2003
Genres:Comedy

Plot:What's a guy supposed to do when he catches the early flight home and finds his girlfriend in bed with a room full of naked strangers? Return to college and start a fraternity! Before you can say "wild and wet wrestling," Frank "The Tank" (Will Ferrell, Saturday Night Live); Mitch (Luke Wilson, Legally Blonde) and Beanie (Vince Vaughn, Swingers) have their own frat raging with out-of-control antics. But when things get too wild, the dean sets out to shut them down. The laughs are top of the class (even if the guys aren't!) in the hit comedy from director Todd Phillips (Road Trip).

My Review:
Coincidence in my marathon, this older film directed by Todd Phillips (The Hangover)
Perhaps the only film that I have been able to stomach watching Will Ferrell, there are some good laughs mixed into this bawdy American comedy. Yes it is fairly childish schoolboy humour, but mixed in is a pretty nice story and some decent enough performances, particularly Vaughn who is surprisingly adept in this flick. The streak in town had me in tears, as did the KY jelly wrestling.
Park your brain before viewing this, and get ready to excuse the wettest lead in Luke Wilson, and this should give you several belly laughs.

My Rating
 

[Rich]

Title: The Santa Clause

Runtime:93
Certificate:U
Year:1994
Genres:Family, Comedy

Plot:Superstar comedian and Golden Globe® winner* Tim Allen shines bright in Disney's magical, larger-than-life hit comedy.
Rooftop clatter leads to merry adventure after Santa falls down on the job, and Scott Calvin's son Charlie convinces dad to try on the red suit.  Eight reindeer pilot the pair to the North Pole, where they soon discover that by donning the famous suit, dad must now accept all of Santa's duties!  Over the next year, a surprised, not-so-jolly Scott grows a Santa sized tummy and beard causing friends, family and business associates to wonder if he's lost his marbles.  All except Charlie who thinks his dad is perfectly suited for his new job.
Each well-kept secret of the North Pole is revealed in Disney's hilarious and heartwarming tale.  Now you can unwrap all the magic of Christmas any day of the year.

My Review:
Sucker-punched into watching this again, but didn't mind as it's a good family festive film.
Tim Allen is okay, the brat is a Hollywood Star BRAT, but Judge Reinhold and Wendy Crewson stood out for me in good quality comedy roles playing the mother and stepdad who is a psychiatrist.
Enough magic and wonderment to enthral the younger viewer without going OTT, and enough in the storyline and humour to keep adults entertained.
All in all solid and fun xmas dvd that I am sure everyone has seen at least once.

My Rating
 

[RossRoy]

Battlestar Galactica: The Plan

WHAT THEY SAY

Battlestar Galactica: The Plan... The Cylons began as humanity's robot servants. They rebelled and evolved and now they look like us. Their plan is simple: destroy the race that enslaved them. But when their devastating attack leaves human survivors, the Cylons have to improvise. Battlestar Galactica: The Plan tells the story of two powerful Cylon leaders, working separately, and their determination to finish the task.

MY THOUGHTS

I'm very disappointed in this. It felt too much like a "here's what you missed during the commercials" instead of the actual fleshing out of the Cylon's plan. It is too much of a collage of anecdotes, most them could be easily deducted from seeing the show itself. Really not what I was expecting..

RATING

[RossRoy]

Coraline

WHAT THEY SAY

From the director of The Nightmare Before Christmas comes a visually stunning stop-motion animated feature - the first to be filmed in 3-D! Discover how the filmmakers and artisans created the magical handmade world of Coraline, exclusively in this 2-Disc Collector's Edition! Coraline Jones is bored in her new home until she finds a secret door that leads her into a world that's just like her own. . .but better! But when this fantastical adventure turns dangerous and her "other" Mother tries to keep her forever, Coraline must conunt on her resourcefulness and bravery to get home.

MY THOUGHTS

Wonderful movie! Sure, it's a kid movie mostly, but it is so marvelously animated and so well told. But what struck me the most is how smooth the animation is despite being stop-motion. The amount of detail that was poured into frame is mind boggling, especially considering this is essentially a kid movie. I loved the character designs, and how they fit their personalities so well. Also, and that's a big plus for this movie, I thought it had a quasi "Burtonesque" quality to it with its visual style. For those wondering, I watched the 2D version. I can't stand the 3D with those blue/red glasses. They give me headaches.

RATING

[Emma]

Rich the Santa Clause is one of my favourite Christmas movies I watch it every year! I only bought the DVD last year ive been watching it on VHS since the year it came out before that XD

[Jimmy]

Battlestar Galactica: The Plan

Time for a stupid question, Is this a film or an episode of the tv show?

[addicted2dvd]

Rich the Santa Clause is one of my favourite Christmas movies I watch it every year! I only bought the DVD last year ive been watching it on VHS since the year it came out before that XD

Me too Emma... I plan on watching it this weekend myself. I watch this one every year while wrapping gifts. Became a little tradition for me.

[Emma]

Rich the Santa Clause is one of my favourite Christmas movies I watch it every year! I only bought the DVD last year ive been watching it on VHS since the year it came out before that XD

Me too Emma... I plan on watching it this weekend myself. I watch this one every year while wrapping gifts. Became a little tradition for me.

Haha! It just seems to be one of those films... I would love to see "Santa rolling down the street in a PANZER!" on Christmas eve though :p

[Tom]

Title: Das Boot
Year: 1981
Director: Wolfgang Petersen
Rating: FSK-12
Length: 200 Min.
Video: Anamorphic Widescreen 1.78
Audio: English: Dolby Digital Surround, English: Dolby Digital 5.1, German: Dolby Digital 5.1, Commentary: Dolby Digital Surround
Subtitles: Commentary, English, German, Hebrew, Hindi, Icelandic, Turkish

Stars:
Jürgen Prochnow
Herbert Grönemeyer
Klaus Wennemann
Hubertus Bengsch
Martin Semmelrogge

Plot:
This is director Wolfgang Petersen's ultimate version of one of the most critically-acclaimed war movies of all time. An all-new restoration with over one hour of additional footage and a completely new stereo soundtrack that delivers the theatrical experience to your home.. this is DAS BOOT: THE DIRECTORS CUT!

Awards:

Academy Award	1982	Nominated	Best Cinematography	Jost Vacano
Academy Award	1982	Nominated	Best Director	Wolfgang Petersen
Academy Award	1982	Nominated	Best Film Editing	Hannes Nikel
Academy Award	1982	Nominated	Best Sound	Milan Bor, Trevor Pyke, Mike Le Mare
Academy Award	1982	Nominated	Best Sound Effects Editing	Mike Le Mare
Academy Award	1982	Nominated	Best Writing, Adapted Screenplay	Wolfgang Petersen
BAFTA	1982	Nominated	Foreign Language Film	Wolfgang Peterson
Deutscher Filmpreis	1982	Won	Ton/Mischung	Milan Bor (stellvertretend für das gesamte Ton-Team)
Deutscher Filmpreis	1982	Won	Weitere programmfüllende Spielfilme	Bavaria Atelier, Radiant
Directors Guild of America	1983	Nominated	Outstanding Directorial Achievement in Motion Pictures	Wolfgang Petersen
Golden Globe	1981	Nominated	Foreign Film

Extras:
Commentary
Featurettes
Scene Access
Trailers

My Thoughts:

One of the best, if not the best, war movies. This director's cut brings a perfect balance between action scenes and character moments. The suspension during and in-between the attacks is perfectly portayed.
I have visited the set of Das Boot a few times in the past. It is part of the Bavaria Film tour. You are able to walk through the narrow U-Boot, where the cast had to stay in for months of shooting. Early hand-held steady-cams were used for the scenes on-board.

Rating:

[RossRoy]

Chantal

WHAT THEY SAY

Writer/director Tony Marsiglia (Sinful, Lust for Dracula) and acclaimed cult actress Misty Mundae (Shock-O-Rama, Sinful) team up once again to deliver a remake of the shocking grindhouse oddity from 1969. Chantal is a grim and terrifying portrait of a young woman victimized at the hands of modern-day Hollywood. Chantal (Misty Mundae) has just arrived in Los Angeles, California to become a movie star. Naive and delusional, she wanders the boulevards looking for her first big break. There she meets Tracy (Julian Wells) - an actress-turned-prostitute - and the two of them begin an uneasy intimate relationship. Tracy warns of the harsh realities lurking beyond the glamorous facade of Hollywood, but Chantal’s innocence makes her easy prey for monsters that inhabit the dark underbelly of the film business.

MY THOUGHTS

This is the kind of movie I had a hard time saying that I like it. It is not the kind of movie you "like". It's the kind of movie that "is". What I mean is this movie is brutal. Not because it is bad, but because it tells such a sad story, with no embellishment whatsoever. The movie tells it like it is, and is pretty straightforward in its narrative. The movie is about a sweet, innocent young girl who gets to Hollywood with big hopes of becoming a movie star... and it turns out bad. Really bad. The sad part is, I have no problem imagining that what is presented here, is the lot of many young hopefuls. The harsh reality can be so far from the idealistic view young hopefuls can have of Hollywood. Same as with The Seduction of Misty Mundae, I'm impressed with Misty Mundae. She again gives a great performance as Chantal, our titular character. The photoshoot sequence is particularly powerful. The supporting cast is just that, supportive. This is Misty Mundae's show, and she pulls it off well. This movie actually reminds me of Irreversible in some ways. It presents a brutal, discomforting situation with no artifices. The camera is just an eye showing you the suffering of a character. The photoshoot scene here in Chantal felt very reminiscent of the rape scene in Irreversible in the power and brutality of the imagery.

RATING

[Jimmy]

 

Glad to see that you have appreciated this one also, we are now 2 on 2 with this past order of film not necessary in your range taste. Now I just have to wait for Sinful... Suzie Heartless that I've reviewed yesterday is in the same mold, maybe you could appreciate it also. But like I've said it make Chantal looks like an happy ride in the park, so maybe it's a little bit too disturbing...

On the subject of The Seduction of Misty Mundae michael Rasso had confirmed to me that it was supposed to be a trilogy (it's the first film of it), but the idea was scratched when Misty Mundae had left the Retro Seduction studio to try a more mainstream career. Too bad that the rest of the trilogy haven't seen the light of day and will not, unless Misty Mundae return to the studio since she is the only actress possible for this.

[RossRoy]

Now I just have to wait for Sinful...

Actually, there is a trailer for Sinfnul on the Chantal DVD which I watched, and it heightened my interest a lot!

Also, trailers for Shock-O-Rama and Screaming Dead were there... and well, they are both on order now

[Rich]

WARNING - TARANTINO FANBOY REVIEW 



Title: Inglourious Basterds

Runtime:147
Certificate:18
Year:2009
Genres:Action, Adventure, War

Plot:Inglourious Basterds begins in German-occupied France, where Shoshanna Dreyfus (Mélanie Laurent) witnesses the execution of her family at the hand of Nazi Colonel Hans Landa (Christoph Waltz). Shosanna narrowly escapes and flees to Paris, where she forges a new identity as the owner and operator of a cinema.
Elsewhere in Europe, Lieutenant Aldo Raine (Brad Pitt) organizes a group of Jewish soldiers to engage in targeted acts of retribution. Known to their enemy as "The Basterds", Raine's squad joins German actress and undercover agent Bridget Von Hammersmark (Diane Kruger) on a mission to take down the leaders of The Third Reich. Fates converge under a cinema marquee, where Shosanna is poised to carry out a revenge plan of her own...
My Review:
You have to admire the reliable Tarantino, he does deliver entertainment and films that will remain in your memory, clearly things he personally would want to watch, and despite the movie being overlong it fascinated me, from the superb atmospheric opening farm scene, to the inevitable vital climax. It is beautifully shot and full of interesting characters, some originality is missing but this is not a major negative on this occasion. This is a much more mature Tarantino offering than I expected, very much led by intelligent dialogue as opposed to special effects and gore, layered by chapters which mould to form the whole.
I felt the Basterds could have been developed better, but surprisingly they are just a part of the larger jigsaw in the movie which I hadn't realised before viewing. There are occasionally some very violent and cruel moments, but did not leave any bitter taste and were in context to help fatten up the characterisations. Not a masterpiece, but definately a great film.
The highest mention must go to actor Christoph Waltz, who's portrayal of Nazi Colonel Hans Landa is one of the best performances I have seen in recent years, absolutely flawless and deserving of recognition.

My Rating
 

[Rich]

Title: Public Enemies

Runtime:134
Certificate:15
Year:2009
Genres:Drama, Action

Plot:From visionary director Michael Mann (Heat, Collateral) comes the film inspired by one of the country's most captivating and infamous outlaws - John Dillinger.
Johnny Depp (Pirates of the Caribbean series) stars as the charismatic and elusive bank robber marked by the FBI as America's "Public Enemy Number One." Academy Award® winner* Marion Cotillard (La Vie en Rose) plays Billie Frechette, the only woman capable of capturing his heart. Hunted relentlessly by top FBI agent Melvin Purvis (Christian Bale, The Dark Knight), Dillinger engages in an escalating game of cat and mouse that culminates in an explosive legendary showdown.

My Review:
My son fell asleep after an hour of this, I struggled through but it was excruciantly and unnecessarily long and drawn out, difficult to follow, full of mumbling poor accents, and generally disappointing after we built ourselves up to an expectant high of viewing a supposedly good movie.
The characterisations were totally underdeveloped, the action felt like it was plonked in to wake the viewer up, the plot noticeable by its absence, and the direction blatantly pointless. The 30's feel of the film, complete with the depression era, had obviously taken a lot of thought and was visually successful, but this appeal waned when you realised the film lacked any substance. And the music they used throughout the film, some kind of ill-fitting rock - why??
Christian Bale was simply dreadful, his accent made him nigh on impossible to understand, Depp was uncharacterisically hollow in passion for the role, the only actors who walked away with any justifiable plaudits would be Marion Cotillard as Dillingers girl, and John Hoogenacker as one of the drafted in specialist agents.
Give me the untouchables over this any day.

My Rating